


Home isn't a place

by Neuqe



Series: Neuqe's Jimon Week [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Fluff, Jimon week day 2, M/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-24 23:55:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9793013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neuqe/pseuds/Neuqe
Summary: "It had been a great date. To be honest, Simon is a little bit surprised because he had not expected Jace to be into the whole idea of Valentine’s Day. "Their first Valentine's Day together.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who is behind on Jimon week?

“This was nice,” Simon tells as they stroll the streets of Brooklyn towards his small apartment.

Jace refuses to call it an apartment because it is so tiny, but Simon prefers it to the canoe. Luke had helped him to rent the place, and even though there are various flaws about it, he likes it. It is home.

“It was,” Jace agrees with a small but warm smile.

The night air is cold but Jace’s hand radiates warmth into his. 

“I cannot believe you remembered what said about Ferris wheels _months_ ago,” Simon says, referring to their date.

It is their first Valentine’s day together and Jace had put effort into their date. He had found a market place that had a relatively small Ferris wheel and he had wanted to take Simon there on their date because Simon once told him he liked them because his dad used to take him and Rebecca to every Ferris wheel he could find.

“What a shocker, I listen to what you say. I’m not a completely bad boyfriend,” Jace deadpans.

Simon nudges his shoulder. “That’s not what I meant,” he clarifies, even though he is quite convinced that Jace is merely joking.

He finds it endearing that Jace remembers small details of their conversations and about him. It makes him feel loved.

“I ramble so much that I figured out you must tune some of it off,” he explains.

People are always telling him he talks too much and about irrelevant things.

Jace turns his head slightly, and he is frowning. “Never.” His voice is full of finality and confidence that tuning off his random rambles is not an option.

Simon offers him a soft smile.

“You cannot be a bad boyfriend. I mean you tolerated watching  _A_ _New Hope_ again, even though you claim to hate Star Wars.”

Simon would be able to list approximately hundred other, better and more valid, reasons too. He is however convinced that Jace secretly likes Star Wars. 

The other part of their date had been a movie. Jace had managed to get a private screening of _A_ _New Hope_ in an old and tiny movie theatre owned by a werewolf because apparently she owed him a favour. Simon did not leave him alone until he told what the favour was. You never knew with shadowhunters. It turned out that Jace babysits her kids occasionally. All four of them had ran to greet them at the door.

“It was not that bad,” Jace admits with a playful smile.

It had been a great date. To be honest, Simon is a little bit surprised because he had not expected Jace to be into the whole idea of Valentine’s Day. It seemed like the least likely holiday celebrated by shadowhunters but he was not complaining.

Simon had thought Jace’s gift for ages. He had immediately known what he wanted to give to him but he was not sure if it was too early for it. They have been together for seven months and he wanted to give him the spare key of his small apartment.

Jace spends most of his free time there. He is there most of the time when Simon is at home but sometimes the only evidence of his visits are post-it notes he leaves to Simon. After everything that happened with Valentine, Jace found the Institute and its people with hushed tones, staring and constant doubting and questions suffocating. He needed to be somewhere else, and that somewhere ended up being Simon’s tiny and cramped apartment.

He wants Jace to have a safe haven. He wants him to have a place where he can feel comfortable, safe and loved and where he can be himself. Jace has indicated that Simon’s apartment is all that for him, and Simon merely wants to make it more official. He wants him to feel welcomed anytime.

He has thought the key a lot. He has overthought it and thought about all the possible symbolic meanings and indications of giving one’s apartment key to one’s boyfriend. He has worried himself sick thinking about all the possible outcomes and Jace’s possible reactions. His mind is particularly skilled at proving horror scenarios instead of nice and positive scenarios, which is not really easing his nerves.

But he wants to do this, and he wants to do it right. He has a plan but he is afraid he will just blurt his intentions out if he does not start talking about something else.

“I start feeling bad that I bought you a cactus,” Simon tells honestly, even though the key is going to be his gift and purchasing the cactus in only a result of panicking.

“You bought me a cactus?” Jace sounds as if he is in-between of amusement and disbelief.

“Just be grateful that it is a cactus and not cacti,” Simon tells and ruffles his own hair with the hand that Jace is not holding. “I panicked at the flower shop, alright? I was going to be a good boyfriend and buy you Valentine’s day flowers but then I realised you are allergic to most flowers known to a humankind but I was already at the shop so I bought the cactus. The flower shop lady felt very sorry for you if that is any consolation.”

Jace lets out a small but happy laugh, and shakes his head slightly.

“It’s more romantic than you would expect your average cactus to be,” Simon continues, “the pot has heart patterns.”

“I’m sure it’s wonderful,” Jace says as he sputters a laugh, and he sounds sincere.

Hearing his genuine laugher makes Simon even surer about giving him the key, and when they finally stop in front of the apartment building, he summons all the courage he has.

“But the cactus is not all I got for you,” Simon says and pulls a simple, slender and metallic key out of his pocket, and offers it to Jace.

Jace takes the key, and stares it with a perplexed expression. He looks back at Simon, and the smile is gone from his face. Simon is sure if he had a heartbeat it would have stopped merely because of the look Jace is giving to him. He is convinced Jace hates the whole idea and that it is too early for this much commitment.

“Are you sure you want to give this to me?” Jace eventually asks in a quiet voice. He looks almost rueful.

Simon is a little taken aback by the question because that was not the reaction he was waiting for. He confusedly blinks few times before he realises that he needs to answer.

“Of course I’m sure,” Simon says gently, “I cannot think of a one reason why I would not give it to you.”

Jace flashes a smallest of smiles, and lower his gaze back to the key that rests on his palm. He remains quiet, which prompts Simon to continue talking.

“I can, however, list many reasons why I want to give it to you. Number one, if you have a key, you might finally stop entering into my apartment via the balcony,” Simon says and gestures vaguely towards the direction of the balcony, “one day you are gonna plummet into your death from it, and if you die I cannot tell you ‘I told you so’.”

Jace grins. “That’s heart-warming.”

Simon rolls his eyes, and continues his list. “Number two, I really want you to have it. I want you to feel welcomed there,” he says in a more gentle voice, “number three, you are the first romantic partner I have ever imagined giving a key.”

“That’s because we have been dating for a seven months and you have been living on your own for nine months,” Jace points out with a crooked grin.

Simon resists the urge to hit Jace’s arm. “Shut up and appreciate the sentiment. I’m trying to do a grand romantic gesture here,” he says but his voice is full of fondness.

“Duly noted.”

“Seriously speaking, it’s yours. You can decide whether you use it or not. I just- I love you and I guess I want the key to be a token for me wanting you in my life in long term,” Simon finishes.

A smile finally spreads across his face, and it is a genuine one as his whole face softens and the smile reaches his eyes. He looks happy.

“I can accept that,” he says and he quickly pulls Simon into a tight embrace.

Simon finally relaxes into the hug and he feels content.   

“Thank you,” Jace whispers into his ear before pulling away enough to kiss him.

The kiss is affectionate and sweet and over way too soon in Simon’s opinion, but it is worth it when he sees again Jace’s enamoured smile that could outshine the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I had a really difficult time with this prompt for some reason but I finally managed to write something. The mistakes are mine and there probably are some as I'm a tired and stressed out student and English is not my first language. The title is a quote from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.


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